Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Bottas heads Verstappen in tight opening Spanish GP session

by Phillip Horton
4 years ago
A A
0
Bottas heads Verstappen in tight opening Spanish GP session

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W12. Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 7th May 2021. Barcelona, Spain.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Valtteri Bottas set the quickest time during a closely-contested opening practice session for Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has traditionally hosted Formula 1 pre-season testing but its re-location to Bahrain this year meant Friday’s session was the championship’s first experience of the circuit in 2021.

Drivers also got their first taste of the reprofiled Turn 10, which has been changed into a sweeping left-hander, in the first alteration to the circuit layout since 2007.

Bottas clocked a time of 1:18.504s to finish 0.033s clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the one-hour session, which was held in warm and sunny conditions, as drivers trialled the Soft tyres.

RelatedPosts

Nico Hulkenberg stormed from the back of the grid to claim a podium at Silverstone

Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg has ‘monkey off his back’ with F1 British GP podium

4 hours ago
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL39 leads behind the Mercedes FIA Safety Car. 06.07.2025. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Race Day

McLaren to launch review into Oscar Piastri’s ‘very harsh’ F1 British GP penalty

5 hours ago

Both drivers grappled with traffic through the session, with Bottas almost rear-ending Carlos Sainz at the chicane – locking both wheels and running wide to avoid the Ferrari driver – while Verstappen aborted one push lap after encountering Lance Stroll.

Reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished a tenth back in third place.

Norris maintains fine start to 2021

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who holds third in the standings, continued his encouraging start to the campaign by placing fourth overall, four-tenths behind Bottas.

Ferrari finished fifth and sixth respectively, Charles Leclerc ahead of home representative Sainz, but did so on the Mediums rather than the Softs employed by their rivals.

Ferrari struggled for overall pace on the yellow-banded compound, which again is the C2 tyre this weekend, during Sunday’s race in Portugal.

Pierre Gasly took seventh for AlphaTauri while Sebastian Vettel showed an upturn in form by finishing the session in eighth place.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was only ninth but had his Soft tyre run compromised when he encountered Daniel Ricciardo in the final sector of the lap.

Kubica causes only red flag

Robert Kubica returned to the Alfa Romeo C41 but caused a red flag two-thirds of the way through the session when he spun into the gravel at the reprofiled Turn 10.

The C41 became beached in the gravel and the session was halted while the car was removed.

The only other major drama befell Nikita Mazepin, who spun his Haas VF-21 at Turn 8 during the opening minutes of the session.

Mazepin was able to extricate his car from the gravel but lost some time while Haas changed his seat after encountering some discomfort with a new mould that the team had brought.

Friday’s second practice session is scheduled for 15:00 local time

[motorsport_result id='62759']

Tags: BarcelonaF1Max VerstappenSpanishGPValtteri Bottas
Share200Tweet125Share

Related Posts

Nico Hulkenberg stormed from the back of the grid to claim a podium at Silverstone
Formula 1

Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg has ‘monkey off his back’ with F1 British GP podium

4 hours ago
Dixon triumphed after taking advantage of his team-mate's mistake. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
IndyCar

Scott Dixon capitalizes on Alex Palou’s mistake to take IndyCar victory in Ganassi 1-2

4 hours ago
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL39 leads behind the Mercedes FIA Safety Car. 06.07.2025. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Race Day
Formula 1

McLaren to launch review into Oscar Piastri’s ‘very harsh’ F1 British GP penalty

5 hours ago
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
13Belgian GP25-27 July
14Hungarian GP01-03 August
15Dutch GP29-31 August
16Italian GP05-07 September
17Azerbaijan GP19-21 September

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri234
Lando Norris226
Max Verstappen165
George Russell147
Charles Leclerc120
Lewis Hamilton103
Andrea Kimi Antonelli63
Alexander Albon44
Nico Hulkenberg37
Isack Hadjar28

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Nico Hulkenberg stormed from the back of the grid to claim a podium at Silverstone
Formula 1

Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg has ‘monkey off his back’ with F1 British GP podium

July 6, 2025
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL39 leads behind the Mercedes FIA Safety Car. 06.07.2025. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Race Day
Formula 1

McLaren to launch review into Oscar Piastri’s ‘very harsh’ F1 British GP penalty

July 6, 2025
Nico Hulkenberg sets new F1 record for longest wait between debut and first podium achieved in his 239th race
Formula 1

The critical call that inspired Nico Hulkenberg’s maiden F1 podium at British GP

July 6, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd